fast car | STEVE HARRINGTON [2]

23. scared screamless

"If it helps, you know Steve is looking a lot worse than you are!" Robin blurted out suddenly, unable to take her eyes off Ringo's dishevelled appearance.

Jessica simply responded by clapping her hand over her girlfriend's mouth before she could say anything further. She usually found Robin's lack of a filter endearing, but couldn't let it run rampant when it would be at Ringo's expense. Although truthfully, Robin hadn't been lying. Steve Harrington had completely lost his spark, and she feared if one more customer returned a video tape without rewinding it beforehand he was going to kick them into oblivion.

"Did you know?" Ringo demanded in Jessica's direction, the pieces falling into place as she realised the two hadn't gotten along as of late.

"He asked me a while ago if it was a good idea and I said you wouldn't be ready, it's... been a bit awkward ever since, I didn't think you had picked up on it," Jessica grimaced, placing a comforting hand on Ringo's calf. "I'm so sorry I didn't warn you... I didn't think this would happen..."

"It's okay," Ringo shook her head, leaning in to give her friend an assuring hug. "I'm just heartbroken your college won't have spring break until next week. Why do they have to be so different from every other school?"

"I know... what's worse is I'll have to leave soon to make it back," Jessica sighed as she glanced at the clock on Ringo's nightstand, furrowing her brows at the late hour it displayed and verifying it was incorrect by looking at the watch on her wrist. "Your clock is on the wrong time, you know?"

"I took the batteries out, it kept ringing out randomly I think it's broken."

Ringo didn't mention that she still occasionally heard the eerie ding of a clock despite removing the batteries, not wanting her best friends to think she had completely gone cuckoo. In all honesty she was extremely concerned herself that she really was losing her mind. Did a break with a boyfriend typically cause auditory hallucinations?

"Okay, well look I'll be back next weekend and we're going to spend the week doing whatever you want to do, okay? Movies, partying, I'll even sit with you and watch Dallas reruns if I have to." Ringo couldn't help but smile at her words, she truly did have the best of friends.

"And in the meantime you're stuck with us!" Ben grinned.

"Well stuck with me after my shift ends, Jessica is giving me a ride to work on her way back to college," Robin announced with a saddened frown as the two girls stood from Ringo's bed and prepared to leave.

"Will you... make sure he's alright?" Ringo pleaded, clearing her throat thereafter to sound better than she felt.

"Of course..." Robin agreed, giving the blonde a quick hug before Jessica followed with an embrace of her own. As the two left the bedroom and headed towards Jessica's car, they shared a silent look that spoke a thousand words.

They were in agreement - Ringo Wheeler was definitely not okay.

"Okay, let's bring a bit of life into this room, huh?" Ben stood up with a fresh wave of energy, heading towards Ringo's record player and the revered collection of vinyls that were delicately placed upright beside it. "How about a bit of Elton John?"

"No, Ben don't-" Ringo pleaded with a shake of her head, feeling guilty as his smile fell immediately. She couldn't force herself to listen to music, knowing that she only had those vinyls in the first place because of Steve. She knew she seriously had to shake herself soon, and was tired of feeling like someone had died. People went on breaks all the time, Ringo hissed to herself internally, stop being so melodramatic.